Whispers
by Yasashisa Ryuu
Summary: In a heart clouded in masochistic hatred, can there possibly be a spark of sympathy? yyh story of Suzaku...has quite the mature content, so beware.
1. Shadows

Okie, this story has been revised...not a lot, but some parts, particularly the part before the story begins. Why? If you read this story, you'll know why. Violence and darkness cannot coexist with...silliness. XD

This is a rapefic, very dark and has a lot of suggestive themes. If you are offended by...well pretty much anything, follow these three easy steps:

1. Move the arrow over to the back button.

2. Click on it.

3. Never come here again.

You all know who you are.

I wrote this not because it was stuck in my head for almost a year, but I wanted to explore Suzaku's sadistic character, and experiment with the dynamics of his emotion. He was not "born to be bad"; If he was(before he died) able to understand the emotions of humans and admit he was wrong, then it is possible that there is something good underneath all that crap in his heart.

For those of you who have reviewed before, understand that I have merged the prologue and 1st chapter into one chapter, because it was lame that way it was before. Meaning you'll probably have to review anonymously if you want to give your opinion on chapter "3".

Prologue

"Koenma, I'd like to ask for permission to access the City of Ghosts and Apparations."

Koenma gazed down at the rather puny man before him, who crouched low in a respectful bow. He was heavily clad in gold and red armor, and well equipped with bow and arrows, a sword, and a line of cutlass knives sheathed on his belt. His long, violet hair hung in curtains across his shoulders. His appearance spoke of honor and justice, just as any worthy knight would carry within his heart.

"I see...another bounty hunter..." Koenma said softly.

The man nodded. "Yes. I am Kodoku, and I want to kill the four Saint Beasts."

"Yes, I know that. It's pretty obvious," Koenma replied curtly, "Yet you do realize that those who have entered the city never came out alive?"

"Yes, I understand that. But I assure you that I am different; I am much more experienced in battle, and know about spirit energy. King Yama even approves of me," Kodoku boasted.

Koenma crossed his arms slightly. "Oh? Well then, I may as well let you go. I'll have to create that breach again." He jumped from his desk to call for his ogre, who was in a different room, sorting approval papers. He turned to look at Kodoku, who stood in a stoic manner, his golden-eyed gaze piercing through the air. He was different, yes, but there was something he still lacked...

"You sure about this? Those Saint Beasts are not worth underestimating," Koenma said and raised an eyebrow.

Kodoku sighed heavily in irritation as a response, and Koenma took the hint very well as he quickly set off to the ogre's room, shaking his head in disapproval.

"I can't stop him," he muttered to himself, "I just know he's gonna die for sure."

After a few minutes of talk with the ogre, he came back to Kodoku, who was shifitng around impatiently; Koenma felt a tinge of disgust for this knight's arrogance. He handed Kodoku a map, which showed him where the entrance the Makai lay.

"And this is a map of?" Kodoku said in a low voice.

Koenma paused to ponder at his rudeness, when Kodoku knew very well that he was in the presence of the ruler of the Reikai; he was an honorable man, yet that was all he had. He lacked some of the other important characteristics that defined a good warrior. Yet Koenma was curt in his response, knowing that it would get rid of Kodoku as soon as he knows where to go.

"Tokyo, Japan, a city in the Ningenkai."

Tokyo, present day.

Today was just like any other day.

For Hikari it never changes. Different days only appear if you do something about it-something accomplishing-or, perhaps, something the opposite of that. It only appears if you are willing to take the time and effort to revise your monotonous, daily schedule, like revising a tiring essay you never wanted to do in the first place. In other words, take time off your procrastination; for it will continue endlessly and cause you to do nothing about it, just like your repetitive days and that little essay, because your desire for change will never be strong enough.

This is what Hikari is experiencing, the isolated "outsider" of her highschool. She was eighteen, quiet, beyond the definition of shy, very self-contained, and many other characteristics that would also provide reasons for her lack of desire for change. Troubles that come from the family are likely reach the mind of their innocent child. Her parents, poor in money and in work ethic, would rather live a life of free-time partying, drinking, and gambling than to waste their "precious time" with some child they never wanted. Her mother is thirty-three while Hikari is eighteen; once the math is done, a mutual understanding will be reached.

Despite all this, Hikari managed to mature and stay away from her parent's influences, all the way up to the age of eighteen. She was a perfectly mild-mannered girl, with beautiful red hair, emerald- green eyes, and a tall, thin figure. Her face possessed a look of wisdom and loneliness merged into one.

Yet some people at school would not take it that way; everyday, she was tormented by a group of students who considered her to be some "crazy, drug-dealing junky" and "one-who-drinks-for-kicks", all because of her parent's lifestyle. It was the typical judging of a book by its cover. They never knew that, in truth, she was just as normal as everyone else, only less open and less social; they just didn't care for the truth, a rarely used tool that most people would not rely on for various, pathetic reasons. A common reason for this is obvious: peer pressure and the desire to stay within their own "crowd"are primary factors. Anything else is practically superfluous.

Hikari couldn't blame their ignorant minds, though. Some had seen her parent's disgusting lives before. Once, she brought a friend (at least, it used to be her friend) to her house, mostly because that friend insisted on coming over. When Hikari opened the door for her friend Yuki, there was much to take note of; the lazy lump on the couch called "father", and the busy, scraggly-haired female figure known as "mother". Everything else looked gray and dirty, as of some ancient party occurred a long time ago and left nauseating legacy.

"I'm home," Hikari announced as she and Yuki walked inside. Neither her father or mother paid any heed to this; they only hear two words, conjured from the mouth of a girl they never wanted, and learn that she is home. They didn't even notice that she brought a guest home. Father and mother only concentrated on one thing at a time, and Hikari was their last priority.

"Oh dear, I forgot I had to meet my parents at the mall!" Yuki blurted outand rushed out the door. She never spoke to Hikari again; instead, she spoke to a lot of other people about what she saw.

Hikari was glad that at eighteen, this would be her last year at school. Afterwards, she would be able to get away from her parents and taunting peers and start a new life. She posed good grades, and was blessed with intelligence in a run-down, dangerous slum. There could be many things open to her. This was the thought that kept her happy for an entire month; or, more precisely, whenever she walks home from school. One day, however, her joy did not last.

Hitan, a careless boy who treated girls like common, vulnerable objects, thought today was a perfect day to seize Hikari for his own practical uses; a dark, rainy environment. He hid behind a dumpster and waited quietly for his prey to appear, while he covered himself with a black raincoat. A shadow concealed in a blanket of fog. Through the haze of the heavy rainfall, his eyes locked on to his victim; a girl drenched from head to toe, holding a large bag filled with textbooks. Her damp clothes sagged from the weight of water and stuck to her skin. Her hair, once a vibrant red, became a dull, brownish color. She walked with discomfort, which Hitan took full advantage of, and leaped from his hiding place.

As soon as he reached for the girl, Hikari was already aware of his presence. She stumbled backward in attempt to dodge him, nearly falling into the dirty puddles below. Hitan caught her just in time. Her green eyes met with the dark tunnels of his gaze, sharp yet amused.

"You again," she muttered in disgust. It was hard to see his drenched face, but she knew he was using that horrible smirk of his.

"You remember me...I'm flattered," Hitan said in a mock-innocent voice.

Hikari pushed him away as soon as she was brought upright. Her body suddenly shivered uncontrollably. His hands...they had a terrible, icy feeling to them, yet they seemed to burn through her flesh. She absolutely detested it when he touched any part of her; it seemed as if his touch covered her in filth. Hitan kept his mischievous smile on and regained his balance, much to Hikari's dismay.

"It's been awhile ever since I saw you. I mean, you're always running away from me," Hitan said with a chuckle.

The nerve of him! She thought furiously, you treat me as if I'm your girlfriend! She would have loved to say "I have a reason to", and watch that irritating smirk melt away. But she knew better, and her hopes of crushing Hitan's pride are only at the bottom steps. She let her anger simmer within her stomach and remained silent.

"Hey, you wanna come with me and, uh, do stuff?" Hitan asked, but Hikari shook her head.

"I have to go," she replied hastily, and turned away from him. She couldn't let this keep up any longer...her stomach churned with dread.

"Hey, come on, I just wanna hang out with ya!" Hitan whined, but Hiakri kept walking away, ignoring his plead. As rain continued to pour, it soon shrouded any visible sign of the girl. Hitan stood dumbfounded, but suddenly irate at the same time. He can't-no, he wouldn't-let her get away like that. She wasn't far; she was close enough to bring her to the ground-

"No...you're not walking away that easily!" Hitan yelled in a fury and lunged for Hikari.

In a rush of struggles, Hitan managed to capture Hiakri easily as though she were made of straw. He carried her over his shoulder, while Hikari screamed for help and kicked helplessly as her only defense. Hitan only gripped her tighter as he turned into an alleyway. His ears rang as the girl continued to release her deafening wail.

"You little bitch!" Hitan spat, "Stop doing that banshee scream of yours!"

The delinquent opened a door to a warehouse, and threw Hikari to the hard wood floor. A sharp gasp of pain escaped from her throat as she struggled breathe in some of the damp, cold air. Her body, paralyzed from the impact, refused to move; it ached with terrible, stinging pain. Hitan let out a soft cruel laugh and bent over to face Hikari, who was coughing and sputtering. He gripped her damp hair and tugged at it, forcing her to look into his mischievous, empty gaze.

"Now you know why you shouldn't mess with me," he whispered, "It could cost you a lot more than you think."

Hikari whimpered, but there was nothing more she could do; Hitan had her like a bug over his foot. She could only wait for the inky nightmare to pass...

"Tch, someone is coming," he said icily.

The injured girl could hear the voices of people near by, just what Hitan promised, which were gradually growing louder; one, a deep, throaty voice, and another that seemed to be coming from a child. Hitan was about to pick her up when he felt something loose underneath his foot. He shifted himself, and beat a fist on the place where he crouched; to his surprise, a large trapdoor cracked open, and a wash of green light lit the dark sobriety of the room.

"W-what the hell?!" Hitan moved away from it, thinking the mysterious aura might be poisonous.

Hikari managed to lift her head to see the frightening phenomenon. The green light filled her eyes, blinding what little she could see; a look of consternation fixed itself onto her face. It was so alluring but so malicious-like...

At the same time, someone burst through the door.

"Hey!" a voice rang out, startling Hitan, "What are you kids doing here?"

Hitan, being a slow-witted boy, couldn't find any excuse to use, so he got up as quickly as he could. Hikari found the strength to lift herself form the hard wood floor, but Hitan grabbed that back of her shirt and pulled her towards him.

"Ow! Let go of me!" Hikari shouted and vied to free herself from his grasp. The man, who was watching by the doorway, advanced towards the boy. Hitan froze, until he suddenly thought of his next move.

"Have little men to stick up for you, eh?" Hitan hissed menacingly and grabbed Hikari's body, lifting her from the floor. "I'll make you scream more than anyone could ever imagine!"

Giant footsteps echoed in the empty warehouse as the unknown man approached the two. He reached for the boy's arm, pulling him away with impeccable strength. Hitan tried to keep himself from dropping his prize.

Hitan let out a soft cry as a jolt of pain clawed into his shoulder. "Ow, you're pulling my arm off! Let go now!"

The boy attempted to tug his arm away from the man's grip, but it proved futile. The hand that held him was capable of snapping it into two like a twig. Hikari was frozen with terror, unable to move. She was slowly slipping from the arms of her inimical foe. The trapdoor was below her, patiently waiting for her to drop into its mouth.

"Shut up," the man growled, "Your coming with me. You and that little girl."

"I said, let go, you stupid fuck!"

"Shut up!"

Muscular arms wrapped around his waist and hoisted him up, high above the floor, and prepared to carry him away. Hitan continued to protest and spew insults, until a scream pierced his ears.

Hikari was dropping head-first into the trapdoor.

The man cast Hitan away and tried to catch her, extending his arm long enough to grab her leg, but he only swiped at air. He was a moment too soon; her head hit the edge of the floor with a ponderous blow as she toppled into the hole, snatching away her consciousness. She plummeted into the unknown abyss, which was filled with that strange, emerald-green aura. The man's roar of frustration was the last thing she heard before everything around her was concealed in a blanket of darkness.

An unusual rumble of thunder resounded in the air.

Hikari blinked a few times, and finally opened her eyes to find the same man crouching next to her, apparently waiting for her to regain consciousness. Her entire body ached with anguish as her senses slowly came back to her. What just happened up there? She fell through that mysterious trapdoor, and next thing she knew she was here. She felt rocks underneath her, and assumed she was on some rocky soil. Wait...

Rocky soil?

She quickly sat up, and realized that where she lay was definitely not the warehouse; she was outside, and somehow that trapdoor led her to a completely different world. The air felt dry and musty, and everything around her looked dark and death-like. It was nothing like where she lived. The man, who wore armor and a sheathed sword like a knight, soon noticed her awakening. He glared at her with brilliant, golden eyes.

"Thanks to your boyfriend, you fell through the trapdoor...and now I have to deal with you," he said in a low voice.

Hikari knew he must mean Hitan. "Hey, he's not my boyfriend! He just-"

"Whoever he is, I could care less," he interrupted, "What a reckless fool he was."

Hikari stared at him. Who was this man? Obviously he had some mission to do, if he dared to come to this ungodly place; this meant that he was definitely a knight, but a rather rude and aloof knight to be exact. He stared into the horizon for a while and mumbled many things, some of which was slightly audible for Hikari to hear. He did not make eye contact with her once, save for a forlorn glance. Soon he stood up and threw his arms in the air.

"I can't go back when I just got here," he grumbled to himself.

"No, please don't. I can't go back," she whined, while the knight shook his head in disapproval.

"Hmph, babysitting. Don't worry," he growled in a sarcastic tone, "Since I don't want to waste my time going all the way back to your home, you're coming with me."

Hikari sighed with relief. She didn't care how impertinent this man was; to be back up there, with Hitan possibly waiting for her to come out of the trapdoor, was a terrible death wish; she didn't want to return home, not for a long time. It was safe enough here, with this knight...at least, she hoped it was. Something in her heart was nagging her with fear and suspicion; being an unearthly land, something incredibly inhuman must lurk here-and that must be why the knight came here.

As Hikari followed him, she noticed a gigantic castle ahead, overlooking a small, ghostly city shrouded by fog. A crash of thunder startled the girl, causing her to look up into a dark, stormy sky, where brilliant flashes of lightning slit through the air. Another barrage of thunder shook her frail body. Why did it take her so long to notice a raging thunderstorm?

"E-excuse me," Hikari said quietly, "What's your name?"

The knight was silent for a moment, keeping his eyes fixed on the gloomy castle ahead of them. "Kodoku."

"Oh...okay," Hikari said, and continued to follow Kodoku.

After what seemed like hours of trudging through an empty ghost city, the two finally arrived at the gate of the castle. There was barely any light in it, save for a few torches that hung on each side. Hikari cringed at how dark and gloomy it was and wanted to turn back, but Kodoku caught her arm and dragged her in.

"You're coming and staying with me, whether you like it or not. I'm not going to waste more time by searching for a child like you if you run away," he said icily.

Child? Is that what he thought she was? It irked her to realize how rude this man was. Yet she knew that if she did run and try to find a way home, something might find her and kill her; it just wasn't worth the risk, especially if this knight won't help her get home until his business is finished. Therefore she went with him into the haunting tunnel, without saying another word, while clinging to his arm for some comfort, much to Kodoku's annoyance. She walked cautiously and repeatedly looked around her, making sure that nothing was stalking her. At the end of the tunnel, she followed him down a corridor, until they reached a large doorway. Kodoku stopped by it and turned to Hikari.

"Listen up. Being the coward you are, you had better stay within sight of me, even when the Stone Beast shows up,"he lectured, "You'll be in much more danger away from my sight than you are now."

And I'd get into serious trouble with Koenma, which I don't want to have to deal with, Kodoku added, though without giving it sound. Hikari nodded weakly, but inside, she suddenly did feel like saying out of this room; Stone Beast? How can she be safer with this knight once his enemy arrives? Confusion and dread clouded her mind, until Kodoku dragged her in by the arm again.

"Ouch! Please, don't do that," Hikari whimpered, but Kodoku ignored her.

"Hey...didn't you hear me?" she demanded, but the knight interrupted her this time.

"Hush! He comes!" Kodoku hissed.

Hikari looked around her. She could see nothing but pillars, gray stone, and flaming torches, which produced only little light, making it rather to difficult to see anything. Soon her eyes adjusted a little more, and revealed an astonishing sight-a large, rocky figure emerging from the floor, slowly but with a subtle grace to it, as if the floor were nothing more than water. A stone tail curled in the air like a scoropin's. It's maw was curled into a grin of amusement.

"Another one?" the Stone Beast said in a low, thundering voice, "Hmph. I'll just slaughter it, like I did with all the other's who dared to challenge me!"

Kodoku stepped forward. "Let's hurry up and get this over with," he growled, "Suzaku's the one I'm really after, not some giant turtle named Genbu."

Genbu laughed in response. "Believe me. You're not worth his time."

"You had better be in this exact same spot when I'm thorugh with him," Kodoku hissed to Hiakri. He drew his sword and lunged for his opponent, who waited for him to make his move first. Hikari stood by the doorway, shaking with fear, but kept to kodoku's word, and watched the battle commence. Kodoku leapt into the air. She watched Genbu sink into the floor as the knight swung his blade at it. Metal clashed against stone, a spark of energy bursting from the impact. An avalanche of rocks tumbled from its wound. The beast soon disappeared into the floor, and Kodoku landed in the place where Genbu used to be.

"Don't underestimate me, Kodoku," the air rumbled, "I already have you figured out."

Kodoku scanned the area around him, waiting for Genbu to surface. Hikari observed his surroundings as well, hoping she would notice the coming danger before it was too late. A few heartbeats later, the beast's tail slithered from the floor. It shot toward the knight with quick precision. Kodoku definitely looked unaware-

"Kodoku, look out!" she screamed as loud as she could, "his tail!"

"Girl, shut up or he'll come after you!" Kodoku yelled fiercely, but it proved to be a sad mistake; he turned around, right at the precise moment the tail struck him. Flesh, bone, and armor shattered as cold stone impaled him, gutting him straight through the heart and neck. A heavy river of blood gushed from the wound and splattered on the floor, creating a dark crimson lake that glittered under the flickering light of torches. Kodoku, wide-eyed and paralyzed with shock, dropped his sword into the growing crimson pool. His body shook and twitched uncontrollably with the last ounce of life he had left. Soon the rest of Genbu surfaced from the floor, slowly but triumphantly. He wriggled his tail playfully, savoring the pain and severing he caused.

"What a fool," Genbu laughed victoriously, "This fight was much too quick, even for me."

With a quick snap of his tail, Genbu tore through Kodoku's left side, mutilating his arm and practically tearing off his head. Both pieces of the knight fell into the pool of blood, while Kodoku's head clung to what little was left of the neck. Soon, the pool expanded as more of the crimson liquid continued to feed it. Hikari collapsed to the gorund, sick from the scene before her and frozen with fright. Wild words formed in her mouth.

A tiny whimper was all she could muster. This has to be a dream, she thought bitterly, this can't be real at all...

Genbu prodded Kodoku's head with the tip of his tail.

"I'm sure Byakko will love this treat I have for him," Genbu said and cackled with a thundering laughter that shook Hikari's body. She suddenly felt angry at the beast for doing such a thing..

"Stop it!!! How can you be so cruel to him!"

Hikari gasped and threw her hands around her mouth; why did she just do that, when it clearly caught the Stone Beast's attention? She had to run, before she would be killed as well.

Genbu turned to face Hikari, who was already backing away toward the doorway, her eyes wide with fear. Another thunder of laughter echoed within the room.

"What do you plan on doing about it, hm? You're just another weak, pathetic human like Kodoku," Genbu said. He raised his tail, and prepared to strike the frightened girl.

Before she could escape, she heard the soft swish of moving air, and instantly, she felt a terrible impact on her head as the stone tail struck her. In one heartbeat, everything around became black.

r&r...liked it? Hated it? Needs improvement? You'd better tell me before I post chapter 3...or 2, I can't remember which...


	2. Broken Silence

Edit: Okay, I fixed the typos…it shouldn't look like it was written by an idiot anymore. e.e lol

Ahaha…finally, the second chapter. My God…. I bet you all wished I wasn't so lazy, or lacked the inspiration. I'm really glad I could finish it but I believe I got carried away with the second part. You can guess what's so bad about it if you read the warning in the first chapter. I sincerely hope I didn't make Suzaku's sadistic character too offending, and made Hikari suffer too much. But, as Kurt Vonnegut said, always put your characters in the worst situation possible. XD

If you hate that kind of stuff…I'll leave a note where it will tell what place to avoid, so you can just skip allt he way until you find some of those star thingies (I don't know what they are called…). These things:

I've been up till three last night, am really tired, and my wrist hurts really bad for some reason. It's going to be worse once I'm done typing. XO owie…so, enjoy…

Chapter 2

The voices were distant, quiet, and malevolent.

One spoke of a worthy feast, another an endless suffering, and another a boast about his accomplishments.

Emerald eyes peered open in response. Hikari's vision slowly swirled into view, revealing three stoic, shadowed figures. One she recognized instantly as the stone beast Genbu; the other two were a mystery. Her body stiffened at the thought of the other beasts being here, who were most likely planning her slowest, most painful demise…and then devour her.

"She's awake," a voice said. It was similar to Genbu's, but had more of a husky tone.

Her head felt incredibly heavy with agony, almost weighing her down to the ground. A sharp sting of pain cut through her head like a guillotine as she titled her head back a little. Her first instinct was to cradle her wound with her hands, but her body wouldn't respond to her needs; she felt rooted to the spot she lied on.

"Get up," hissed a voice.

I can't…

She remained still.

"I said rise!" the voice boomed, this time more icily.

My body…it won't move.

A beast snorted in disgust.

"Shall I make her?" one suggested venomously.

A giant, clawed hand wrapped around her waist, hoisting her up onto her feet. A dizzying torrent of pain exploded in her head the moment she was lifted. Bright flashes of light dominated her eyesight. Frozen in anguish, all she could do was lie limp in the beast's hand, burying her face within its fur. Her arm, dangling like a rag across the great paw, shivered spasmodically; she waited patiently for the nightmare to end, for the acute claws to pierce her heart.

One laughed diabolically at her misfortune.

"She is thin, but her taste won't be that different," a beast said.

"Let's make her suffer first. It whets my appetite."

Suddenly, by only a mere pinprick, a sharp claw ripped into her flesh, tearing a small but gaping wound into her left thigh. Try as she might, she couldn't help but cry out. Her body began to quiver even more.

"Ha, ha, ha! She likes it, Byakko!" Genbu crowed.

"Let's keep this prize to ourselves," the beast holding her growled, whom she figured was Byakko, "no need for Suzaku to have any of her, since he he was never so generous anyways."

"And what might that be?"

The three fell into utter silence, almost instantly. The voice was new; Hikari couldn't recognize it, nor could she view what was going on. With her head hung low and practically buried in fur, she couldn't see much. Byakko's paw loosened around her body until it became a gentle grasp, lowering her nearer to the ground. She felt it vibrate from the giant cat's incessant growls.

A hand, soft and human-like, lifted her head up. What stood before her was a being like her, only incredibly masculine. His hair was a vibrant, blonde color, save for two red, antenna-like bangs that hung all the way down to his shoulders. A white scarf was wrapped around him, contrasting with the blood-colored shirt that he wore like a tunic.

He was an odd piece of wonder, Hikari knew, but only one part of him seemed to threaten her with initial hostility.

His eyes, violet in color, pierced through hers like an arrow fire. It left a strange, burning sensation in her, seeming to impose a spontaneous conflagration.

He covered her cold cheek with his palm, rubbing the smooth, sweaty texture of her skin. The other beasts watched and held back, waiting to see what he would do next. If this was the fourth Saint Beast-

He can't be, she thought, he is so gentle…

She felt submissive, but still in great pain. Her heart skipped like a rabbit to support her broken soul.

Byakko bared his teeth menacingly as the man tried to take the girl. "She's ours. We found her first," he snapped.

The man drew his hand away and simply laughed.

"I'm still taking her from you."

The Cat Beast growled in a revulsive manner. He tried to cover her with both of his huge paws.

"Unless, of course, you prefer death over your own pathetic life," the demon added.

The other beasts stood rooted to their spots, almost as if they were cowering in fear, as they watched a perfectly good meal vanish from their hands.

"You never give us anything, Suzaku," Byakko muttered in distaste, "you take everything for yourself, demand everything you need, as if you're some God."

So his name is Suzaku…Hikari thought, the lead beast. But…he looks more like a human…

Suzaku took Hikari in arms. Again, she let herself go limp, not wanting to move the smallest, aching muscle. Not that it would do any good…

"The you have forgotten where you stand," he replied, "the greatest predator, indeed."

Byakko sighed heavily, knowing it was pointless to argue with his leader. Turning away, he started off back to his lair, while the other beasts followed with flustered, narrowing eyes.

Suzaku glared at their impertinence, but his face looked more amused than angry. Her eyes met with that burning stare again. He smiled wryly, an attempt to assure her that she was safe. She wasn't so sure that he was being honest or tricking her into a false sense of security; he was the leader after all, even if he looked perfectly human. She couldn't put her faith into something like him.

Her head jerked back into his chest, feeling her body wrench in pain. She was in near death, and she had completely forgotten about it, about the anguish that threatened to shred what little life she had left. Daggers seemed to haphazardly cut through he body, forcing her to heave in quick, rapid breaths.

Something warm petted her grimly matted hair. Wincing, she fought the pain to glimpse at this tangible aura.

She knew what it was, the moment it touched her. It would hardly take any thought to know that Suzaku-a demon at heart-was stroking her beaten head, using a gentle motion. It was only a stupid instinct that forced her to look into something so conspicuous, but it kept nagging at her with the same thought.

He's being deceiving…

Yet it felt so soothing, almost subsiding the pain. Relaxing, her eyes slowly closed; there is the other possibility, she thought, maybe he really is kind at heart.

Suzaku smiled in satisfaction, though his smile still retained a slight wickedness within. It was as if he had never smiled jubilantly in his life. Hikari failed to see the face of her impending doom, too much in a state of utter submission. The Saint Beast brought her closer to his chest in false assurance, almost into an embrace. He carried her comatose body away from the inky sobriety of the room. His mind was already set on the perfect place for his captive: his sleeping quarters. He was free to do as he pleased with the girl without the interference of the other beasts.

Hikari felt a bit more secure, but not enough to trust the demon. Still, it seemed much more alleviating than being eaten, and his touch was nothing like Hitan's. That was all she could come up with for a positive outlook on the situation. She wished the dark hallway had more light than this; it gave a better sense of protection, eliminating any shred of the fear. She was deeply reminded of her own world-people won't come out of bushes in broad daylight to assault people, much like a monster in a child's closet.

She suddenly felt stone cold again; such a monster was carrying her. He neither came out of a patch of bushes nor out of a closet, but walked to her in a casual manner and took her away. It was almost as if he had saved her from her from hell; almost, knowing that the rest of Suzaku's intentions were unclear. He looked intelligent and cunning, but ruthless at the same time.

It was those hateful eyes that struck terror in her heart.

His species was one thing, but his heart…?

She felt his hand grip her waist more tightly, seemingly as a warning. Could he possibly know what she was thinking?

Soon the two arrived at a wooden door, finely polished yet ugly in color as it contrasted against the small amount of light. Suzaku pushed it open and went through, carrying her in with him. The room was dimly lit with a few candles. There was nothing to be seen, save for a small bed that Suzaku must sleep in. The Saint Beast gently placed her on it and covered her with what appeared to be a skinned wolf. It was warm, yet painfully frightening; its hollowed out eyes seemed to glare at her menacingly, hungering for her neck to clamp down on. Its fur was a brilliant white color, soft to the touch and very life-like, as if the wolf still possessed its soul.

Suzkau disappeared all of a sudden. Hikari relaxed a little more; maybe he really isn't like those other beasts, she thought. They certainly wouldn't have done something like this, but eat her on the spot. Her body stiffened as she tried to move her legs, especially the one that was injured. It was hard and practically impossible, until she settled with the position she was in-a frozen plank of wood.

Suzaku returned, instantly appearing through the darkness like a ghost. In his hand he carried a wooden bowl. She peered at him through her drooping eyes, daring to stare back into a world of malice coated in violet. They were achingly beautiful; they glared at her with an icy flame of hatred. He forced a smile of reassurance, though failing to present any sort of solicitude. His hate seemed to carve into her heart. It caused her more pain than her wounds-a cold abyss wrapping around a fragile, lonely soul. He was a demon, but also a man-a man of cold heart, like any who are sealed away from life for countless centuries.

He brought the bowl to her lips, beckoning her to drink whatever liquid he provided. It was suspiciously dark in color and uninviting, and seemingly poisonous; she sensed it.

I knew it, there was not even a spark of care in his rotting heart-

The liquid touched her mouth but she did not open it. It left a stinging sensation as it writhed against the gates of her throat, begging her to take it in. Suzaku frowned, annoyed by her stubbornness.

"Just drink it. You'll be out for a while," he admitted, "but it will help you heal much faster, and you will be normal again…"

What else could she do? She'd rather not have him force it down her throat, but cooperate instead. There was nowhere for her to go, nowhere to run, and no way to escape something more powerful than she. Opening her mouth just enough to let it dribble in, the draught passed through her lips with ease. Instantly, she felt it take over her entire body, paralyzing it from head to toe. Suzaku watched her subdued form grow into a listless state of abandon.

"…an exceptionally…"

He smiled, bearing a look of lust.

"Healthy young girl."

The darkness soon consumed her.

A shaft if bright light pierced through the inky nightmares that hovered in her mind. Sunlight spread its welcoming embrace across the girl, waking her from her endless dreaming. Her face, muffled by a hard pillow, snorted slightly from the sudden scarcity of air. Raising her head, she saw that she was still in the somber room Suzkau resided in. At first, she thought she was merely dreaming about dreaming…but everything was real, the pain and the emotions were real; there was no need to go against something so comprehensible, no matter how desperate she was to believe it was a dream.

Her heart ached terribly with disappointment. Its only bit of hope left was cast away into the chasm of her shadowed consciousness, left to rot in a faithless sanctuary. She had only one chance left, regardless of her safety: run away, and just find a way out of this ungodly place. She'd rather not know what Suzaku planned to do with her.

She forced her stiff body to move. Straining with the small amounts of strength she had left, she managed to heave herself up, just enough to push wolf skin away.

Pathetic, she thought, but I need to get moving…

She scoured the room for any sign of the demon.

…better now, while he's gone.

The room was vastly darkened as the sun disappeared behind a thick cover of clouds. A quiet rumbling of thunder caught her ears as she placed her feet onto the stone floor.

Wonderful, a thunderstorm, she grimaced.

She wrapped herself inside the wolf skin, covering her face with its "head" to conceal her identity. It wasn't much, but it may make a difference and fool anybody in the city. Her muscles ached and her bones felt brittle, yet she was determined to try and make it home alive, even if she might get killed.

Moving quietly, she glided across the floor with a gentle ease, despite how worn out she was. Impressed with her ability to stay on her feet, she decided she could go on. Hikari searched through her mind for any memory of the castle's inner chambers. She may be able to derive a way out from it.

The passage through the hallway she stood in was all she could recall.

Hikari cursed under her breath. Now what?

Shaking her head disdainfully, she decided to just find a way, rather than stay in the same spot forever.

It was then she felt a slightly calloused hand grip her shoulder. It pulled her towards its wielder.

The wolf skin fell to the floor, revealing the fragile being underneath. Her back was pressed hard against a veritable brick wall that was her opponent's chest. Another arm wrapped around her diminutive form, clamping down in a tight embrace and dragging her back into the room. This was done easily as though she were made of straw.

Hikari's mind flooded with anger and panic. Instinctively, she fought hard as her free arm swung out defensively, swiping up nothing but air. The strength was unbearable, impossible to match; it was almost crushing her.

"L-let go of me!" she cried out.

A hand, the one that grabbed her shoulder, reached out and covered almost half her face. It sealed her mouth and all the words that prepared to spout through.

"Trying to escape, are we?" Suzaku said in a low voice, " I see we've recovered enough."

Hikari screamed in the palm of his hand, fruitlessly tugging at it to pull it away. It was extremely difficult to breathe, even through her nose. Suzaku lifted her from the ground and pulled her struggling body into the room. His arm pressed tightly around her, painfully gripping her face.

"Don't scream. I don't like it," he said more icily, "unless you want me to cut that throat of yours for you."

(second half!)

He flung the impertinent girl onto the bed. A gasp of pain escaped her lips, feeling her lungs rattle with discomfort. Suzaku climbed on top of her, pressing his weight down on her and pinning her. A cruel smiled formed on his face as his cold eyes filled with lust. Hikari couldn't believe the awesome strength the demon possessed. She felt as if she was becoming one with the bed. Her desperate body continued to vie for freedom, but unable to break away from his arms. Soon the frantic battle ceased. Hikari lied on the bed, frozen and direful. Her chest rose and fell in rapid breaths. Suzaku loosened his grip and drew a hand toward her head. He ran his hand through the red locks of her hair, impressed with its softness and how crumpled it was.

Hikari winced, feeling vaguely aroused by his touch. He was fierce and sadistic, yet unimaginably gentle…why?

She remembered how Hitan would always pull her hair, claw at her skin, and jam his tongue down her throat in artless abandon, not caring about how she felt. He took all of the pleasure and joy from her and never gave it back. Suzaku was different, but still frightening. She knew what he was going to do with her, and she was just a weak, defenseless human. There was nothing she could do to resist-

She shivered.

Suzaku smiled more broadly, showing his teeth; a cobra bearing its deadly fangs. His hand reached for her neck and softly rubbed it, admiring the tenderness of her skin, while holding her down with the other hand with little effort.

"Be brave and take it," he whispered, "you're only wasting your time struggling with me."

Tears stung her eyes. Much to her dismay, her mind would not listen; her legs made frantic kicks at Suzaku's impervious body. She desperately clawed at him and threw swift, weak punches, successfully connecting but ineffective. It felt like striking a slab of stone.

Suzaku grew impatient, finding her monotonous fighting tiresome. Taking hold of the collar of her shirt, he ripped the clothing away with brute strength. Her bra was snatched away as well. Hikari let out a pleading cry.

"I'll kill you if you touch me!" she screamed, and struggled to free herself from his grasp. Suzaku had her pinned down on both arms, grinning with unscrupulous amusement.

"You don't have the power to destroy me," he informed her.

Malicious eyes narrowed at her. Hikari continued to fight with all she had, knowing all was truly lost. Her eyes shut tightly.

"No…no…don't touch me…"

The fabric stung her skin as her skirt ripped away, and cast to the side of the bed. Her concealed virginity was revealed before the demon, untouched and pure, and undefiled. Her body was vulnerable and exposed, flushed red with humiliation-she was completely naked before the heartless being. A tiny whimper was all she could muster.

"Beautiful…" he purred.

He looked down at her curiously. She was smooth and pale, and fairly thin, but not boney. Absentmindedly, he ran his hands over the girl's limp body, admiring her curves and sweet, tender skin. Both cupped her breasts in their palms, squeezing them playfully to make her shudder.

He's touching me…oh!

He brushed his fingers over a flushed nipple. Green eyes flew open in shock and stared up at him, registering a horrible lust about him. Her body quivered under his weight. Tears were beginning to become impossible to hold back. Her face was tight and grimacing to contain humiliation and grief.

Dammit, don't you dare cry for him! She screamed in her head.

Suzaku bent over and gave her neck a slow but playful lick; her skin tasted strangely of green tea. Hikari shut her eyes from her predicament, feeling revulsion war for dominance within her. His arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her unceremoniously as he trailed more of his licks down to her breast, teasing her with stolid anathema.

"No…"

Suzaku smiled.

Hikari tried to push him away, but she was held fast by uttermost disgust, and his unbearable strength. She lied under the demon, silent and still.

Satisfied, he pushed himself away. He observed her pale figure moisten with cold sweat. Feeling he had complete control over her, he let go of her arms and began to undress.

Dread took hold of her heart, squeezing it until it bled tears.

"No, please! Just…just finish with me, just kill me!" she whispered raggedly, her head arched back to avoid every moment of his stripping.

Suzaku ignored her request, and simply laughed at her.

"Why should I?" he asked in a mocking voice, "Maybe I want to defile that sweet body of yours, and soil you with my seed."

"N…no!"

With her body free, she was able to move about. Once again she shot for beast's neck and attempted to strangle him, and rip that irritating smirk off his face. Suzaku pushed her down without effort, pressing her lithe body down to keep her from attacking again. He struck her with the back sweep of his hand. Hikari whimpered at the hostile impact as blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth.

"What a bitch," he muttered under his breath, "just like all those pallid human females."

Her face stung as if it were on fire. Her blood mixed in with the salty water that dripped down her eyes.

It was not over.

The agony wasn't going to stop here. The truth hung over her degradation, threatening her fevered sanity as she awaited the coital furor to cease.

She eyed Suzaku, who was removing his pants. His virile body seemed to add more to her apprehension.

All she could do was to inhibit the air itself…and leave her emotions. Her only choice remained: let him do as he pleased.

She felt him grasp her waist. Her shadowed emerald eyes, wet and swollen with tears, gazed up at him. She stared at that irritating sneer that refused to leave his face. She jolted forward in panic as he pulled her close, her plan forgotten as fear took over once again. Something hard pressed against her as well.

"Oh!" Hikari regretted the startled exclamation. Suzaku's laughter became shriller if that were possible.

"Ho? You like that?" Suzaku whispered and nipped at her neck.

Hikari winced, shutting her eyes in humility. Her body remained still, frozen between hell and reality.

"What a perfect little surrender," he crowed softly, eyeing her with rapt attention.

Her body burned and kindled as if it were on fire, feeling something thick and hot push its way inside of her. The girl cursed and screamed, tears running freely down her face. She wanted to become the air and shut her mind from the pain…she was so lost in anguish that she couldn't focus enough.

Her back arched exquisitely as Suzaku broke through the last of her purity. Her throat elicited a plaintive wail into the hellish atmosphere. The demon didn't seem to mind her screams, but was in a blissful state as he penetrated deep into her. He grunted once as if surprised, then cried out as well. Invisible flames licked through his body, arousing him uncontrollably and forcing him closer to his climax.

She could feel herself leaving her body. Her mind was becoming oblivious to the nightmare and all of its terrible emotions. Her body still craved for solace as she felt him thrust in and out of her, the pain of her virginity leaving her only a memory.

Hitan crossed her mind once more. Remnants of his cruelty flashed in a wave of despair and woe. He tried to rape her once, just like this…but she had a chance back then, and made it out unscathed and untouched.

She felt like a semi-hedonistic animal. Her body screamed in a language free of sound. Disgust over her own human nature enveloped her mind-

She shuddered violently, grabbing hold of his muscular body as he reached to his climax, his seed forever defiling her soul into emotional disarray. Another woeful cry escaped her lips as she felt herself effervescence with unwanted pleasure. Her body seemed to collapse by her own weight.

Why?! Her mind shrieked, why am I…these feelings, they are so wrong…

Suzaku breathed heavily but did not rest himself onto the girl. Hikari curled into a fetal position, burying her grief-struck face in her hands in shame. Faint bruises were starting to appear on her body.

She wept softly.

"Suzaku…what made you…"

The words failed her. Her mind slipped into the depths of her consciousness, oblivious to her surroundings. The pain dug its claws into her malleable mental tissue, wrenching her emotions away and settling in. Darkness leaked into her heart.

Suzaku shifted himself off the bed and reached for his clothing. As he slipped into his pants, he averted his attention to the soiled, raped girl that lied on his bed, releasing only soft, broken breaths. With his need accomplished, he wasn't sure he needed her any longer. A weak, useless girl like her would only be a nuisance.

Then a thought struck him. By keeping her…

Taking one last look at Hikari, he slowly put his shirt on, tied the sash around his waist, and left the room.

He craved more blood, and there was a way to bring it to him and to the other beasts.

A lone figure entered the dark room Murugu was resting in. He was moving unusually slow as he passed through the doorway. The green bird's eyes narrowed at the intruder, until she realized it was her master. Her ears perked up as she greeted him.

"Well, if it isn't lord Suzaku," Murugu said in an annoying, high-pitched voice, "the lesser beasts seem a bit gloomy, don't you think?"

Suzaku ignored her and kept walking, but she dared to fly up and rest on his shoulder. Her large eyes scanned the face of her master; he had a stern look about him, appearing to be concentrating on something invisible. Something was wrong.

"They keep complaining that you took something from them," she paused for a moment, "a human girl."

Suzkau refused to look at her, even once, even if was hard to ignore her horrendous, shrill voice. Instead of giving her the satisfaction, he banished her from his shoulder. Murugu continued to keep by his side in midair, much to his dismay.

"Don't you know when to leave me alone?" he snapped.

"I just want to know what happened, as well as the other demons in the city," she whined, not knowing what a stupid thing she uttered, "it's obvious you didn't kill her. Yet."

Suzaku stopped in his tracks and turned to face the bird, slightly red with outrage.

"Let me guess: being the loud-mouthed, brainless animal you are, you had to tell anyone who asked?"

"Well…they asked…" Murugu squeaked.

Murugu had to dodge a fatal blow from Suzaku before she flew away, refusing to look back. Suzaku unclenched his fist, letting the anger subside; she'll be back, he knew, and fully ready for her punishment. She was idiodic but surprisingly never ceases to disobey him. Disappointment was her next favorite accomplishment.

Sighing, he moved on, wanting to see what his fellow Saint Beasts were doing. The thunderstorm above him raged with all of is electrical power, sending crashes of thunder into his ears. Being quite used to it, it was nothing more than a minor noise. Suzaku soon arrived at the gate of Seiryuu's lair. He could sense their spirit energy leaking through the giant doors; it writhed, full of irritation and hatred.

Pushing the door open, he found the three beasts talking with each other with stern, cold faces. They paused in their conversation to acknowledge Suzaku as they glowered at him with volatile eyes. Byakko seemed to be the most irritable out of the three, especially when his stomach was empty.

"What are you doing here?" Seiryuu hissed.

Suzaku took a step forward, almost in a fighting stance. Byakko immediately took this as a threat.

"Don't expect us to show an mercy towards you," Byakko growled, "if you dare to attack us. You know we are not a loyal race."

" I'm not here to destroy you all," Suzaku said in a hushed tone, "waste of my time to fight with amateurs like you."

Byakko was taken aback by his insult, but abstained from lashing out at his leader. His claws twitched and yearned for Suzaku's blood.

"Then go away, or we will make you," Seiryuu said.

Suzaku shook his head. "I merely came here to tell you something about the girl, not out of pity."

Seiryuu looked even more disgusted than ever, but let Suzaku continue.

" I want one of you to send a message to Koenma, concerning the human," he added, "more blood, more killing, more food for all of you. More pawns from King Yama."

The three stared at him for a while, but the fluster in their faces died away. They were beginning to like the idea, but still had second thoughts about Suzaku's promise. Suzaku turned away and left them to discuss it on their own.

"Besides, I haven't had any fun for years."

End of chapter two! My God! Who knew it would take two days to type it all up…

Anyway, I hoped you liked it, and I can't wait for the reviews…I want them to be helpful and constructive! Critiques! If not..then…oh well, what can I do. XD

Now, who knows how long chapter three will be up… o0

Suzaku: Oooo!! Ooo! I know! Never! :P

grabs muse mallet, making Suzaku shut up instantly

TTFN, which is ta ta for now. Again, for now!


	3. Inevitable

Whispers, Chapter 3

Once upon a time.

Three or four years ago, I wrote this. And never touched it since then.

And for some reason, when I should be writing my college admissions essay, I started doing this instead.

Wtf?

The sky above Suzaku's demonic city remained a raging, bleak storm for as long as he could remember. Not once had he seen the clouds break apart, or even cease its attack upon the bleak earth for even a minute. He did not mind the incessant rumblings of thunder or the winds constantly cutting through the air; to him it seemed that this storm had some strange connection with him and his mind, reflecting whatever mood he felt. Most of the time this mood was a vile and deep hatred for anything that angered him-the storm would then become one of its most violent and unforgiving forms. Any other mood would simply be a contemplation about his surroundings: how much he realized he was confined into such a small area for eons, and how much he simply wanted to achieve his goals-here the storm would become nothing more than a muffled whirlpool of clouds, where lightning would streak high across the sky, as if to reach out and grab onto something it wanted so much. Much of this contemplation would then lead him to another one of his foul moods, and once more the storm would become a violent maelstrom.

But something was amiss today…of this he was aware. Despite sharing a rather straightforward plan with his comrades, a promise of blood and the delicacy of human meat, he did not feel that rush of excitement he usually felt before engaging in carnage of his most hated creatures. Perhaps he could shake off this bothersome thought if he went back to his sleeping quarter.

He proceeded up the stairs to his tower, his face expressionless. His mind was silent and his movements slow, and only his instinct remained aware of this sullen and dark atmosphere. His golden hair flittered from the soft winds that blew through the half-elliptical windows, causing him to pause, and turn to face the small, rocky opening. The melancholy began to assault his mind once more as he watched the now dormant sky.

It's so quiet…

A picture of the girl flashed through his mind. The girl he had captured, the girl he defiled. And a weak, defenseless human girl at that. He knew very well it wasn't simply her presence that angered him, but the fact that a human had managed to enter his own city, his own world. This raised a clear fact to him: Koenma, the irritating little child to King Yama, may be preparing to send an even greater threat to him. The foolish knight, whom Byakko took for his dinner, may have been just a warning. Only the fact remained that an opening has been made between his world and the human world yet again, and this poor little female was unfortunate enough to discover it somehow. He sighed irritably at the idea of it. The winds outside soon shifted and began to howl.

It seemed like hours before his thoughts finally gave him a moment of reprieve, though his mood still remained unchanged. It was a strange kind of feeling to him…it felt as if the misery of that girl or the thought of that knight being torn apart wasn't even satisfying to him. Whatever it was, as he looked out of the diminutive opening, he could not help but feel even more defeated by this unknown force, and soon he was overcome with a strange hungering for something even he could not comprehend. A wave of thoughts took over him once more-from the very beginning when he was imprisoned into this horrid place…and for a thousand years he never once thought about anything other than revenge against the Reikai. It was all he ever desired.

He eyed the shifting, relentless sky once more. Directed his attention to the barren ground below; the landscape he had known for so long. Too long.

Revenge….and freedom.

A resounding crack shattered the dry, hot air.

Hikari stirred within the heavy wolf pelt.

-----------------

Yes, that was it. A short, sorry chapter if I ever saw one. I liked it and it was simply a cheap way to prove I am not dead. I also need something to do anyways to keep me from being lazy and doing absolutely nothing so I can get my creativity back in gear…

And I thought…why not just continue something I used to like (during my emo period in high school…) and see what happens. Hell, I might even revise it at that! I really missed writing…even if it's something I've technically lost interest in a while ago, I just might get back into it…just not into the whole yaoi/lolextreme violence/pairings thing.

Expect this to get edited soon so it isn't short anymore.


End file.
